JIS Services

National Overseer for the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches (JAFGC), Bishop Clayton Martin, is optimistic that Jamaica can be rescued from the challenges it is facing.
Delivering the sermon at the National Emancipation/Independence Thanksgiving Service, at the East Queen Street Baptist Church, downtown Kingston on Sunday (August 2), Bishop Martin acknowledged that, after 47 years as an independent nation, negative factors continue to resonate among the citizenry.
“I see much anger, I see much pain, I see hurt, people taking revenge, and not having hope. Conflicts will come, and will occur, but we must find a way to resolve our conflicts (because) we have a beautiful God-given country. for a special people,” he argued.
Bishop Martin said that he was concerned that some individuals were voicing a sense of hopelessness, suggesting that they were giving up on Jamaica.
He lamented that there were young Jamaicans who were “sick and dying, destitute and despondent, dispossessed, (and) not given enough care”, and the women are greatly challenged, burdened with families and other things.
“We need our men, who are greatly concerned and distressed, to find answers,” he suggested, underscoring the need to seek divine spiritual intervention.
But, he concluded that, as long as there are people who believe in God, there is hope for Jamaica.
“Our hope is built on Jesus Christ, and I am convinced that Jesus can help Jamaica. He can give this nation a fresh start. He can bring transformation, transformation when it starts in the heart of a person,” he stressed.
Bishop Martin urged the Christian community not to merely “sit back and speak words”, but to become active and play their part in the process of transformation.
He also urged individuals to resort to peaceful options to solve conflicts when they arise.
“There is hope for this country. I want to ask us, as a nation (to recognise) that, as we go from day to day, there are going to be times when conflicts will come. But, we are going to have to find a way to solve our problems, and not think we must take (things) into our own hands and do damage,” he implored.